The Naming Project: Silvey (Sylvia)
Silvey was sold with her children Fanny, Abraham, Frank, Elizabeth, and William to Montpelier’s new owner, Henry Moncure, for $1000. Silvey died in childbirth on April 18, 1847.
Digging Deeper
Behind the Scenes at James Madison's Montpelier
The Naming Project: Elijah
Elijah was enslaved by Dolley Madison’s uncle, who leased Elijah to James Madison in 1818 and 1819. Madison asked for a reduced rate due to “the lameness of Elijah.”
The Naming Project: John Freeman
John Freeman waited table at the White House and was sold by Jefferson to Madison, with the stipulation that he be freed in 1815. He remained in Washington as a free man.
The Naming Project: Lucy
Lucy was enslaved by James Madison Sr. and inherited by Nelly Madison. When Nelly died, Lucy – who was elderly and unable to work – was appraised at negative $60.
The Naming Project: Henry
Henry and his mother Margaret were given by James Madison Sr. to his son William Madison. When William died 60 years later, the estate valued Henry at only $25.
The Naming Project: Joanna
Joanna, born March 16, 1773, was 10 years old when James Madison Sr. gave her, her mother Eliza, and her four siblings to his newlywed daughter and son-in-law.
The Naming Project: Lemon
Lemon’s name appears only once in the documentary record. Tax records show that he was an enslaved laborer on James Madison Sr.’s land in Culpeper County in 1783.
The Naming Project: Harry
Sometimes referred to as “Tradesman Harry,” Harry was also a carriage driver. In 1789 Harry made the return trip to Montpelier alone, by a route of his own choosing.